if i saved my heart for you
by Kitiara-chaa
Summary: Wendell Bray was almost twenty nine, struggling to make ends meet, still an intern in the Jeffersonian. While he seems content about his life on the surface, he just can't help the niggling feeling that it is too complacent, like something was missing. Like he wanted so much more then to be working at a lab and going home alone every other day of the night. Enter, one Janelle Rose.
1. Chapter 1

The Jeffersonian was a whir of activity, yet it is surprising to note how one such busy place could still retain the solemn silence of a tomb. Although should you get to know it more, you would and should come to realize the solemnity of the place is something that is inevitable, since 30% of the occupants within the massive and very well equipped laboratory consisted of dead bodies. Two particular of which was displayed for autopsy on the platform on which two of the most well respected, and indeed regarded as leaders of the laboratory stood.

Dr. Temperance Brennan, arguably the smartest of all forensic anthropologists housed in the Jeffersonian, scrutinized the skull of the victim, doing the exact same as she had been doing for the past five or so days since said victim had been uncovered at the foot of a mountain, being scavenged on by a couple of wild dogs.

On the examining table next to hers, Dr. Camille Saroyan, head of the Forensic Department and part of what was often quoted to be the best forensic team around, stood going through a pile of rotted flesh and tissue, most of which would've led a normal human being to gag hours ago. Cam was unperturbed by the smell and texture though, and rooted through it with her gloved hands as any normal human being would to a pile of pillows.

And while the team was unarguably the best at solving crimes and mysteries, they weren't invincible.

A crash from a laboratory most people avoided due to the sheer amount of bugs and insects in there made both doctor's jump from the platform, and the eyes of many other scientists and working interns followed as one Dr. Jack Hodgins stalked across the polished floor, stalking up the platform to a very surprised Cam without even clearing his access.

Cam could barely hear him above the din made by the blazing alarms and flashing red light. It wasn't till the security had cleared the breach and calmed the system down, did Cam turn to Hodgins again, surprise registering in her eyes. The resident entomologist really didn't overreact this way, at least not very often.

"I can't do this!" he exclaimed, and only then did Cam notice his crazed, wild eyes as he flailed his arms about.

"Do what, exactly, Dr. Hodgins?"

"All of this! I get case after case, and I don't mind working on cases, I really don't. But I have to handle the enquiries from the historical department, questions and papers from various other sources, and I just… I can't handle all of this myself!"

"I thought… you've always prided yourself on being able to work efficiently."

"Not now when I have to make time for my wife and family as well!"

"Ah." Cam replied wordlessly. At the very least, she understood. Hodgins had been able to devote his whole time and life to his job before, not to mention the fact that he still had his family fortune. Now in between trying to recoup the losses from Pelant's little stunt, and making time for his wife and son, Jack Hodgins was trying to do too much on not enough time.

"He has a point, Cam. I greatly resent the time I have to spend away from Christine when a particularly urgent case comes up. I only am relieved because I have my interns to do most of my, more general work for me." Brennan spoke up, her tone as logical and clear as ever.

Cam had turned to look at Brennan as she spoke, and she smiled, giving a nod at the genius of an anthropologist, before turning back to the quite crazed look one Jack Hodgins wore. "We'll hire an intern for you alright? As soon as possible."

"But what if he or she is a complete nodcock? In leagues with secret societies? Messes up my work?! And –"

"Dr. Hodgins!" Cam spoke up over the hubbub Hodgins was causing. "Dr. Hodgins," she continued, in a calmer tone when the entomologist had calmed down. "It's either hire an intern, or you continue doing the work yourself."

Jack Hodgins was no idiot. He recognized the wisdom in Cam's words. And she was right. He did resent the amount of work which took the time he wanted to spend with Angela and his son Michael. But at the same time, he worried at the idea of getting a new intern.

Still, it wasn't as if he had a choice.

"Fine. But if the appointed intern is inadequate, I demand a new one." He replied, and left the platform with a flourish.

Cam stared at him as he retreated back in to his laboratory, and then let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't easy handling a team as eccentric and volcanic as the Jeffersonian forensics team. Sometimes Cam wondered why she even bothered.

"Cam. I found cause of death."

And then she was reminded all over again, why she loved her job.

* * *

The piles of files were perpetually in the corner of his eyes, like a bug Hodgins couldn't get rid of, and he was thoroughly sick of it. The particulates Dr. Brennan had found in a couple of rib fractures was under is magnifying lens, and he just _couldn't concentrate_, because not only did he have work under and next to him, he also had a pile of reports to compile and two more screens to analyze in a tray.

Looking up as the door opened, Hodgins gave a pained sigh as he watched his wife walk in. Perhaps the only good thing about his workplace right about now. He was fairly sure he was suffering a burnout from purely not spending enough time with their son, whom he loved dearly.

"Oh honey." Angela's soothing voice came, and Hodgins groaned as she pulled him closer so he rested his head on her and her hands stroked through his short, thick curls.

"I miss Michael Vincent."

"I know you do. But Cam's working on it isn't she?"

"It's been a week, Angie. I didn't even get to put him to bed last night because Dr. B found new particulates for me to examine. At least she gets to go home as long as one of her interns does her work for her."

"I know, I know. But Cam's on it. You'll get help in a –"

"Dr. Hodgins?"

Pulling away from Angela's comforting head massage, Hodgins blinked, and then starred as a young girl who looked no older then twenty-three stood at the doorway of his laboratory, dressed in a pair of shorts and a hoodie. Her black hair was tied back, and a pair of impossibly blue eyes looked curiously at the couple.

"And you are?"

"Hodgins." Angela admonished, glaring at her husband and his snappish tone, before approaching the girl with a smile. "Did you get lost Miss? This is the Jeffersonian forensics department, and you're not supposed to be here without clearance."

"I'm not lost. Dr. Saroyan sent me here. She said she'll be al-"

"Angela! Don't worry, the girl's with me." Cam said as she ran up, entering the laboratory as she approached. Hodgins stood up with a wary, almost defensive look as Cam brought the girl in. Giving her husband a look, Angela scowled and prodded him. "Don't be so defensive. You said you wanted help." She hissed, trying to flash Hodgins a warning.

"But I can't take chances with my work. What if she compromises evidence?!" Hodgins hissed back. Both husband and wife snapped their attention back to Cam though, when she cleared her throat, one's expression welcoming and the other wary and careful.

"Dr. Hodgins, this is Janelle Rose. She'll be serving as your intern from now on, and she has full clearance to everything in the Jeffersonian laboratory."

With a smile, the dark haired, fair skinned girl nodded in the couple's direction. "Call me Elle, and don't worry Dr. Hodgins, I'll try not to compromise any evidence." She replied with a cheeky grin, much to Angela's amusement as Hodgins sputtered in his failed attempt to look indignant.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Bray, send these particulates to Dr. Hodgins for examination, and get the X-rays back to me as soon as possible. Help Cam out, because the faster she's done with her part, the faster we can get the bones cleaned."

Looking up from studying the C7 vertebrae he had under the microscope, Wendell took two of the covered Petri dishes Brennan handed him, and gaped as the doctor hurried off the examination stage, before glancing at the clock and have understanding dawn on him.

While it wasn't normal for Dr. Brennan to rush off like that when a new case had just been brought in, it was close to 6 – otherwise known as Christine's bedtime. And while Temperance Brennan, genius and renowned anthropologist and bone specialist tends to prioritize work, he has also realized ever since her daughter's birth, that Brennan was beginning to act more like a normal human being, and less like an emotionless robot.

Of course, that also meant more work for the interns.

But Wendell didn't mind, he decided with a shrug and an easy smile as he replaced the bloody vertebrae covered in half-rotted flesh in the mountain of decomposed body, took off his gloves and picked up the sample particulates. He was earning his keep after all, and in all honesty, Wendell was thankful he even had the job in the first place. He'd rather be doing something he liked, than rooting around under cars to earn the cash for his tuition fees and rental.

Besides, it was nice to see all the nice couples finally settled in the Jeffersonian. Previously, the interns wanted to tear their hair out with the tension between Booth and Dr. Brennan, and between Angela and Hodgins. Now all they had to deal with was the occasional family squabble, of getting yanked in for babysitting duties every so often. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Truth was, Wendell couldn't imagine working anywhere else. In the years he had spent at the Jeffersonian, it had become a second home to him. When he wasn't in classes or rushing lab reports for his lecturers, he was here working, helping whichever intern was on duty that day, and occasionally playing ice hockey with Booth.

With another glance around the massive space that served as the Jeffersonian forensic lab, the blond intern chuckled, and then headed towards the entomology lab where Hodgins was sure to be.

Now, more often than not, Hodgins was alone. Wendell was accustomed to barging in on the bug and slime guy in his lab, although he's recently learned to knock ever since Hodgins had married Angela. Usually, the door would be closed though if his wife was in there, so Wendell was confidently striding towards the opened lab, when his steps froze as he heard voices.

Two voices, actually. One of a female, a voice he didn't recognize.

His brows furrowing as he tried to figure out who it was, he continued his paces, but more slowly this time as the voices grew more audible as he neared, and Wendell could identify a Hodgins… nagging. Widening his eyes in surprise as he confirmed the fact, Wendell frowned. What, or more precisely, _who_ was he nagging at? Surely the entomologist hasn't gone _completely_ off his rocker and resorted to talking to the various bugs he kept in his lab.

Peeking in though, Wendell was surprised to find Hodgins waving arms and ranting at _someone else_ in the lab. Now, Hodgins wasn't as picky as the other doctors were about his lab accessories, but the fact was that this person – girl, as far as Wendell could see, since she had her black tresses up in a ponytail. Wendell also found his eyes wandering to the lab coat that oddly seemed to be hugging the curves of her petite frame, but dragged his focus away and instead rapped his knuckles on the door, gaining Hodgins's attention.

Jack Hodgins had been frustrated. Not that the girl wasn't good, she was. In fact, he really should no longer be surprised at Cam's capability to locate not only capable, but extremely intelligent interns for her colleagues.

No, what had him frustrated was how _good_ she was. He had expected to be coaching the intern along, helping him or her. The fact that Elle could operate almost every equipment he had in his lab, and required little to no help from him… it put Hodgins off his little familiar axis of his world.

And when he was unfamiliar… he nagged.

So when Wendell had walked in, half of Hodgins had been embarrassed at being caught nagging like a fishwife, and the other half had been surprised. Perhaps it is this mixture of emotions that distracted him from Elle's little sigh of relief as he walked away, leaving her alone to work with the mass spectrometry herself in peace as Hodgins greeted his friend.

"What's up?"

"Dr. Brennan needs these particulates examined, she suspects its part of a weapon that may be used to harm the victim."

"Not that murder weapon though?"

"Can't determine that yet. She's not sure which one is the cause of death, since Cam's not done with the body, so we can't clean it just yet."

"Alright. I'll examine these after I'm done with looking through the papers the archaeology department sent me."

"Hodgins. You know how Dr. Brennan gets if she doesn't get her results back in time." Wendell replied quickly, frowning and dogging the entomologists' steps as he walked to his paper covered desk.

"I don't have a choice Wendell, I have a lot of work to do, and if-"

"Dr. Hodgins. I'm right here. What did Dr. Saroyan hire me for?" her voice piped up in exasperation, causing two pairs of eyes swivel to her, one in surprise and curiosity, the other laced with irritation. "It's a murder victim, Elle."

"I knew that when I took the job. The Jeffersonian team is known for solving crimes, and I haven't been living under a rock." She retorted, flicking a stray strand of hair out of her way as she placed a hand on her hip and glared at Hodgins, much to Wendell's amusement.

Just who was this delectable creature who could smack talk Hodgins like that, and just what was she doing in his lab?

As if sensing the unvoiced question from the male intern, Hodgins got up from his seat and shot a last glare at the smirking girl, before saying, "Wendell, this is Elle Rose. Cam hired her to be my assistant."

"_Intern_."

"What's the difference?"

"Actually, Hodgins. An assistant is there to make coffee for you. An intern is here to learn, through experience." Wendell piped up, and raised a brow when Hodgins shot him an evil eye, picking up on Elle's surprisingly infectious and bell-like laughter as she came up to them and grinned at her mentor.

"Heard that Dr. Hodgins? _Learn_. Means I don't clean your clutter for you. I help you in your work. Work you're supposed to _let me do_, not try and do everything yourself." Elle shot with the faded laughter still dancing in her eyes. Wendell turned to look at her just in time to see the softening of the previously stubborn and fed up look. "I'm here to help you. You just have to let me."

Wendell raised a brow, and then turned to Hodgins, who still wore the stubborn look, and gave him a nudge. "Don't be a bull Hodgins, you have a pretty girl here to help you, why are you even arguing? It's almost 6. Doesn't Angela pick Michael up from daycare now?" Wendell asked, and the mention of Hodgins's son was enough to make the entomologist look up at the clock, and bite his lip.

Elle wasn't stupid though. Cam had explained part of the reason why Hodgins had requested an intern, and she gave him an encouraging push on his shoulder with her finger. "Go on, go meet your wife and get your son. I'll finish up arranging the new bug specimens, and I'll get the particulates in the mass spec. The results will be ready by tomorrow morning."

And finally, _finally_, Hodgins gave in with a sigh, and shrugged out of his lab coat. "Fine. I expect to see the report by tomorrow morning Ms. Rose. I want to look it through before we send it to Brennan. She'll have my head if I give her the wrong info."

Elle rolled her eyes, wondering how long was it going to take for the crazy doctor to trust her work. She was the top of her class for Christ sake. "_Go_." She finally settled on, all but pushing him out of his lab, before turning to face the blond intern with a laughing grin. "I'm sorry, I'm really not as incapable as he puts me to be."

Wendell laughed at her, and shrugged. "Don't worry, I know you aren't. Dr. Saroyan wouldn't have you here otherwise." He grinned, and extended a hand as way of greeting. "I'm Wendell, Wendell Bray. One of Dr. Brennan's interns."

"One of them?" Elle echoed in surprised, taking the offered hand to shake, before both dropped away, with Wendell nodding in response to her echoed question.

"Dr. Brennan has a few. We rotate on our duties, because we're also part time students with other jobs. I'm on duty for a while now, since a few of them have term papers and exams to work on."

"Ah, I see"

"And you?"

"As the crazy doctor explained, I'm his intern. Unlike you guys, I'm his _only_ intern, so I have to put up with that on a daily basis." She joked with a grin and a jerk of her head at the door Hodgins had disappeared to, causing Wendell to laugh at the disgruntled look she wore. "But I've been here for a week and a half, and I've gotten used to it. He's slowly, _very slowly_, learning to let me do some work." Elle explained, as she moved over to pick up the specimen's Wendell had brought over, and moved over to the mass spectrometry machine.

"What about you? What's it like working under the genius Dr. Brennan?"

"Stressful." Wendell immediately blurted out, caught himself, and then chuckled sheepishly. 'It is a very good learning experience though. I wouldn't trade my place for the world; Dr. Brennan teaches us so much."

Elle started laughing at the reverent tone he used, and glanced one last time in to the telescope, before switching the couple of knobs on the equipment on, shut the glass casing, and turned with a smile that almost caught Wendell off guard as she spoke. "You sound like you love your job… just a little too much."

"Geek, and fully admitting it."

"Guilty." She agreed with another laugh, something Wendell is suspecting he could listen to for a long period of time now. His eyes couldn't seem to glance away as she paced back to the table he had spied her with Hodgins with earlier. "You still have work to do?"

"Mmhhm. I'm not going to leave any of these undone now that Dr. Uptight there is finally willing to give me work." She said with a glance up at him, and then back down to her work. Unable to help himself, Wendell asked. "Are you always this happy? Or are you feeling particularly cheerful now that Hodgins is loosening up?"

He couldn't help himself. She had been all grins and smiles ever since he stepped in the office earlier, and surely, _surely_ no one could be that happy surrounded by bugs and dead people? Even he, as happy as he was with his job, didn't walk around the lab with a perpetual grin and a ready laugh. A chuckle yes, but not the lighthearted laughter Elle seemed to have.

Raising a brow as she straightened up and looked at Wendell, her storm blue eyes were almost unnerving as she studied him, before finally grinning and shrugging. "Whether I smile, or laugh, cry or bemoan my bad luck, another's day will pass. So I might as well be happy, right?"

Wendell found himself perplexed by her answer, but seeing her so intent on her work, he too slowly backed himself out of the laboratory. With one last glance at the small sized intern, her dark ponytail falling over her shoulder as she worked, Wendell walked back to his own working station, wondering just why did he find himself so intrigued by one Elle Rose.


End file.
